For the last nine years Outdoor Traders have run a shop on the High Street, in Abingdon, where Braggs the cycle shop used to be.
Outdoor Traders began by selling outdoor clothes, following on from the smaller Outdoor Traders shop in East St Helen Street. But the pull of the bike heritage must have been too strong in the High Street building, and the shop started to concentrate on cycles and skiing, with a cycle workshop. However the shop announced a few weeks ago, on Facebook, that they will be closing at the end of June and the owners are ‘moving to pastures new’. They thanked all their customers and friends for their support over the years. Now Closing Down signs are up.
In about 2013 the Outdoor Traders Cycle Club started up and now has over a hundred members. They are often to be seen in the distinct OTCC livery – cycling from or to the shop, or out on country lanes. They also now have a Race team. The cycling club will probably find a new base.
Not surprised. 1) Went in the other week to buy a bike kick stand. Kind of item I’d expect a bike shop to have. Nothing. 2) ordered a Giant bike online for delivery to OT and them to assemble. Giant quote 2 day lead time. OT employee “will be ready in a week mate, boss is on holiday and he needs to sign the work off”
On the contrary, I’ve always found the shop to be friendly and helpful. From prompt repair when another cyclist, head down and pressing on without looking where he was going, ran into the back of me and totaled the back mechanism on my bike, to gratis help with setting-up a new bike with different gears/brakes with which I wasn’t familiar.
My understanding is that the new business levy didn’t help so we now have bunting and one useful shop less. Another own goal for the council …
Steven, it doesn’t surprise me either. I went in to buy something; when he realized I didn’t want to buy a bike, he became rather unhelpful, almost to the point of being curt.
and yet….
I found them great when repairing the base of some skiis that the local resort shops wouldnt touch.
Fitted me a great pair of ski boots, that are as comfortable all day as my shoes.
And let me try all sorts of helmets on, when I wasnt sure what I wanted as a replacement.
They were never cheap, but it was worth the extra.
I’ll be sad to see them go, tho surely the extra charge for the BID cant have pushed them over the edge…
More like the appalling Abingdon traffic, and the increasing drive towards online I’d think.
Probably a combination of factors, but the Bid hasn’t helped – literally. What has the Bid actually done for Abingdon, apart from some pathetic bunting?
I’m not particularly a BID fan but as someone who has traded in town for 9 years I really don’t think the annual levy would put any business over the edge! I spend at least 7x as much as the cost of the BID just to park my car in town each year!
Great shop shame to see them going, I do hope they will not be replaced with another coffee shop / barbers
How sad. It was the best place for buying ski boots in the UK.
I see the empty shop has been let, any ideas who is moving in? Also notice the vacant take away at 3 the square is re-opening, another Chinese?